Opening and sealing device for cartons



8 1 1930. w. G. BOSWORTH 7 OPENING AND SEALING DEVICE FOR CARTONS Filed June 29. 1927 v 2 I INVENTOR v ATroRNEYs;

This invention relates to an improvement in carton opening and sealing devices, that Patented Aug. 1 2, 1930 wxnnrnr e. :soswoarn, or new YORK, my.

OPENING AND SEALING DEVICE FOR OABTONS Applicationfiled In... 29, 192?. .sem go. 202,159.

removinga section of a wall thereof as for example, by the removal of a section oi the is to say, to devices which may be employed for providing an opening or aperture in car- 5 tons such as cartons of cereals, coffee, and the like, my device being so constructed and arranged that after the carton has been opened, the same maybe kept sealed by the device itself by leaving the same in place 'm thereon.

One of the objects ofmy invention is the provision of a device of the character indicated which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and at the same time very effective in operation.

A further object of my invention is the provision ofa device of the character indi cated, in which means areprovided for cutting or removing a section of one wall of a carton, so as to enable portions of the contents of the carton to be removed from t1me to time, the device being so constructed, however, as to provide a seal for the opening thus provided when the contents of the carton are not being removed.

In'the accompanying drawings, wherein embodiments of my invention havebeen illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspectlve of my de vice in place on a carton; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of F1 1 Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device rom beneath the same; I g Fig.- 4 is an elevational view of the openin and closing device;

' i 5 is a sectional elevational' view of a modi ed form of my invention; Fig. 6 is a plan view thereof; and t Fig. 7 is a view taken on the lme 77 of fiefcrring to the drawings 1n deta l and first of all to Fi 1 to 4 inclusive, 1- designates a carton o cardboard or a similar material. The desideratum is to ggovide a de- 5 vice by which this carton may opened1 byv top, designated 2, the device employed for this purpose being of such a'character as to serve as a seal for the opening thereby pro- 5 vided when the contents bi the carton are not being removed.

The device consists of an upper member 3 and a lower member 4, joined at their rear ends by a web 5, which is an integral part of .55 the members 3'and 4. In other words, the metal composing the upper member 3 and the lowermember 4 is;bent over,'so that the two'members 3 and 4 will be sitioned rigidly in superimposed spaced relation, as plainly indicated n Fig. 2. The n per memer 3 preferably exten s beyond t e extreme end of the lower member4, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The advance edge of the lower member 4, as indicated in the drawin is es ben't downwardly and she ed to provlde'a 'knife'or knife'edge 6. Byndin the member 4 downwardly, I am assured t at the advance edge thereof will enter beneath the face of the lowermost member comprising the carton top. Both members 3 and 4 are provided 'wit an orifice, the orifice in the member 3 which is illustrated as circular being designated 7 while that in the member 4 is designated 8. In providing the orifice 7 in the member 3, the metal of this member is drawn upwardly to provide an upwardly extending guiding flange 9 surrounding the orifice 7, this flange projecting a short distance out of the plane of theup er face of 86 the member 3. The two orifices and 8 are in register with each other. The distance between the members 3 and 4 may be varied in making up the device, to suit difierent con.- ditions, but in all cases theymust be separated sufliciently to enable the material of the top 2 of the carton to be inserted between these two members, as shown in'Fig. .2. The upper member 3 has a portion 10 struck out of the same and bent downwardly, 09

as viewed in Fig. 1 so as in effect to form a continuation of the connecting web 5. This struck out portion 10 extends well below the lower member 4 and its function will her being shaped to provide a circular knife 13. The knife 13 may be provided with any suitable number of blades, two having been indicated, as I have found this number'satisfactory. The upper end of the cylindrical member 12 carries and has attached to it a plate 14. In the manufacture'of the cylinrical member 12, the material of the plate 14 is shaped so as to provide two integral ears or lugs 15 at opposite sides of the member 12, these ears providing a convenient means for manually rotating the member.

Secured to the closed end 14 of the cylindrical member 12 and disposed centrally thereof'is a pointed member 16 extending longitudinally of the member 12 and provided with ashoulder 17 adjacent its pointed end, the member projecting beyondthe end of the member 12. until the shoulder 17 is slightly beyond the lower end of the knives 13.

The operation of my improved device is as follows:

The unit composing the upper and lower members or plates 3 and 4 ispressed against the side wall of the carto'n at any desired location, with the upper plate or member 3 resting upon the top 2. It will be understood, of course, that the cylindrical mem ber 12 is at that time not in place on the de-- vice. 13 a slight pressure the sharpened edge 60 the lower member 4 will be caused" to enter the side wall of the carton, permitting the plate 4 to be pushed into the carton beneath the top 2, with the upper plate 3 overlying this top 2. The dev ce is pushed inwardly until it occupies substantially the position shown in Fig. '2, at which time, it will be seen, the web 5 and struck outportion 10 of the lower plate 4 will abut or contact with the side wall 18 of the carton. At the same time the shoulders or abutments 11 on the plate 4 will have been pushed inwardly with respect to the carton sufficiently to bring the free ends of these shoulders into contact with the inner face'of the side wall 18 of the carton, the shoulders, as will now be appreciated, preventing easy withdrawal of the plates 3 and 4 from the carton. It will be seen also at this time that the web 5 and struck out portion 10 of the plate4 have a relatively long bearing surface against the side wall 18 of the carton, thereby to prevent twisting of the plates 3 and 4 with respect to the carton and preventing bulging of the end or side of the carton. The web 5 also provides a'seal for the slit or slot made in the carton when the plate 4 is inserted.

The cylindrical member 12 is next inserted in the orifice 7 in the upper plate 3, being guided by the guiding flange 9, and as this cylindrical opening and sealing member is pushed downwardly, but before the knives 13 ave begun to function, the pointed member 16 will pass downwardly through the orifice 8 in the lower plate 4 having passed through the material 2 atthe point where a section of this materialis to be removed. As above noted, the shoulder 17 on the member 16 is projected beyond the end of the knives 13,- 4

so that before the knives have finished their cutting operation the member 16 will have penetrated the material 2 to the point where the shoulder 17 is at the under side of the material. The cylindrical opening and sealin member 12 may then be rotated manual y by means of the ears or lugs 15, a slight pressure being brought to bearon the memer at the same time, so as to cause the knives '13 to cut the-material 2, the member 12 being forced downwardly until a section 19 has been completely out out of the carton top. Inasmuch as the member 12 and knives 13 are circular, the ,cut out portion 19, will be in the form of a circular disk, and this disk at this time will be impaled upon the sharpened sealed. It will be seen also that the lower member 4 provides a su port for the m aterial of the caiton out 0 which the disc 19 is to be cut preventing movement of the same downward during the piercing of the material by the sharpened member 16 as well as during the operation of cutting the disc 19 out of the material, thereby insuring that every thickness of the carton which is usually two or three layers thick will be cut through.

The construction above described therefore provides means for opening'a carton and for sealin the same thereafter, the means employe being extremel simple in construction and operation an at the same'time effective. It will be seen also that by providmg the web 5 and struck out portion 10 of upper plate 3, accidental displacement of the device with respect to the carton is prevented in a very simple manner, thereby permitting improved device as upper and lower plates,

the member 12 at all times to be readily placed in position to seal the carton.

I have referred to the plates 3 and 4 of my respectively; I have also referredto the portion 2 of the carton as the top of the carton, and the portion 18 as the side thereof. It is to be understood, however, that these expressions have been used merely for. clarity of description and are not intended by way of limitation.

In the form of my invention as illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 I have modified somewhatthe construction above described. In this instance, while the upper member 3 and lower member 4 are joined by a web 5, the struck out portion 10 of the form above described has been omitted, and in place thereof I weld or otherwise rigidly secure a depending flange to the rear face of the web 5, this depending flange extending across the entire width of the plates 3 and 4. The purpose ofthis construction, as distinguished from the struck out portion 10 of the first form, above described, is to provide a longer bearing surface than is possible with the struck out portion 10. The flange 9 with which the upper plate 3 is provided is spun or bent over at the upper end thereof, as plainly indicated at 21. The cylindrical opening and sealing member 1 2' in this instance is formed at its upper end with alateral extension 22, and

opposite this extension with another lateral extension 23. The extension 22 provides one member of a hinge for a cover or lid 24, which lid or cover is provided with a flange 25., this flange and the flange 22 on the member 12 being hinged to each other by a pin 26. The lateral extension 23 on the member 12', and which is preferably diametrically oppo site the hinge just described, is bent downwardly and inwardly, as plainly indicated in Fig. 5, the inwardly extending portion 27 thereof being adapted toengage' the flange 21 on the member 9, so that when the member 12 in this form of my invention is inserted in place in the members 3 and 4, the portion 27 of the extension will engage the-bent over portion 21 of the flange 9 on the upper plate 3. The'bent over portion 23 is of a resilient nature, however, so that by a slight effort the member 12 may be completely removed from.

the orifices 7 and 8.

Attached to the cover or-lid 24 is a sharpened member 28 the function of which is the same as that of the member 16 already re ferred to, but by reason-of the fact that the member 28 is pushed through the material 2 of the carton with a swinging motion about the hinge pin 26 rather than bya straight downward thrust, the end of the member 22 is in the form of a knife-29, the advance or cutting edge of which is designated 30. This member 28, however, as in the case of themember 16, is provided with a shoulder 31,

and when the cover or lid 24is inclosed position this. shoulder projects beyond the lowerend of the knives 13'. The operation of this device when in use is similar to the device of Fig. 1, and hence will not be described in any detail.

The flange 9, referred toabove and which functions asa guiding flange, also provides a spout for facilitating discharge of the contents of the carton. r I have mentioned also that the pointed members 16 and 28 are secured to the upper end of the opening and sealing member 12' "or 12 respectively, but it is to be understood that t ese members may be attached to some other part of this member, as long as its point is disposed centrally thereof. While I ave illustrated and described my device as comprising a lower member 4 provided with an orifice designated 8, it is to be understood that this member may be substituted by a forked member, for example, the forks being sufliciently spaced to permit of the passage of the cylindrical member 12therebe- I tween.

It will be obvious that various modifications ma be made in the construction above idescribe within the purview of this inven- What I, claim is:

1. In a container opening and'sealing de- ,vice, the combination of an upper member and a lower memberarranged in superposed and spaced relation, each of said members being provided with an orifice, said orifices registering with each other, said lower member adjacent the rear end thereof being provided with lugs or shoulders extending away from-the upper member and out of the plane of the lower member to engage the inner face of a container wall to prevent withdrawal ofsaid members from the container,

a' sealing member received by the orifices in said members, said sealing member being rotatable and provided at its lower end with aknife for cutting material inserted between the two members, and a'pointed, member carried by said sealing member and extending beyond the end of the knife with which the sealing member is provided, for piercing the material to be cut inadvance 0f the cutting operation.

2. In a device of the class described. the

. combination of an upper and a lower mem ber rigid with respect to each other, the advance end of said'lower member being provided with a knife edge, said members being arranged in superimposed and spaced relation and each being provided with a'circular orifice, said orifices registering with each other, a cylindrical sealing member received by said orifices and rotatable with respect to said members, a knife atthe lower end of said sealing member, and a pointed member carried by said sealing member and out by the knife in advance 0 extending beyond the knife of the sealing member, so as to pierce the m gerial to be cut the complete cuttin operation.

3. 1% a device of the class described, the combination of an upper and a lower member arranged in spaced superimposed fixed relation to each other and adapted to receive between them material to be out, each of said members being provided with a circular orifice, said orifices registering with each other, a cylindrical sealing member closed at its upper end and adapted to be rotated in said of the sea ing member.

- registerin 4. In a device of the class described, the combination of an upper and a lower member arranged in spaced supernn osed relation, a web joining the two mem rs atone end thereof in such manner that the material to be cut or removed from a carton to which the device is to be attached will lie between the members, each of said members belng provided with a circular orifice, said orifices with each other, a cutting and sealing cy indrical member received by sald orifices and rotatable relatively to said mem-.

bers, a closure for the upper end of said c lindrical member, a knife at the lower end thereof, and a pointed member hav ng a shoulder formed thereon carried by said cylindrical member, said pointed member projecting beyond the lower end of the cyhndrical member sufiiciently to advance the shoulder thereof beyond said knife 5. In a device of the class described, the combination of an upper and. a lower member arranged in rigid superimposed spaced relation and provided with orifices in register with each other for the insertion of a puncturing instrument, a web joining one end of said members and extending below the lower face of the lower member, and a knife formed at the other end of said lower member for the purpose set forth.

6. In a device'of the class described, the combination of an upper and a lower member arranged in rigid spaced superimposed relation and provided with OIlfiCGS in reg ster with each other for the insertion of a uncturing instrument, the lower member eing provided with an advance or leading cutting edge a web joining one end of said members and extending below the lower face of the lower member for the purpose set forth, and lugs or shoulders on the lower face of the lower member and extending downwardly out of the plane thereof.

7. In a device of the class described, th combination of an upper and a lower member arranged in rigid spaced superimposed rela-' tion and provided with orifices in register with each other for the insertion of a puncturing instrument, shoulders or abutments struck out of said lower member and bent downwardly away fromethe upper member, said shoulders or abutments being spaced slightly from the rear ends of said'members,

the said lower member being provided with a shoulders struck out of the lower member extending downwardly out of the plane thereof, said shoulders terminating short of the rear end of the lower member.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of an upper member and a lower member arranged in spaced rigid superimposed relation, each of said members being provided with a circular orifice, said orifices registering with each other, the upper face of the upper member being provided with an n standing guiding flange surrounding t e orifice in said upper member, the advance edge of the lower member being provided with a knife edge for the purpose set forth,

and shoulders or abutments struck out of the lower member adjacent the rear end thereof,

said shoulders extending downwardly out of ItJhe plane of the lower face of the lower mem- 10. In a device of the class described, the combination of an upper and a lower member, arranged in superposed relation, and provided with registering orifices for the insertion of a puncturing instrument, means for joining the two members to each other, the forward end of the upper member projecting beyond the forward edge of the lower memher, the forward edge of the lower member being bent downwardly out.of the plane of the lower face thereof and provided with a knife edge.

11. In a device of the class described, a

hollow cylindrical. sealing member permamember to a point beyond the edge of said knife whereby in applying the cylindrical member to a carton the pointed member will pierce the carton in advance of the functioning of the circular knife, and a shoulder on said pointed member positioned beyond the lower or advance edge of the knife in such position as to enter the carton before the circular knife functions whereby the section of the 1 carton removed by the knife will be held to the pointed member.

This specification signed this 25th day of June; 1927.

WILLIAM G. BOSWORTH. 

